Rail service to Churchill restored

Hey there, time traveller!This article was published 9/6/2014 (913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A week after a derailment, service has been restored on the Hudson Bay Railway that serves dozens of northern Manitoba communities, including Churchill.

Omnitrax Canada said Monday the line reopened at about 7 p.m., with full freight service expected to resume shortly afterward.

On June 2, 13 cars carrying grain derailed just south of Churchill. Bad weather stalled repairs to the track and also prompted the cancellation of several Via trains carrying tourists.

Unstable permafrost has traditionally made the rail line prone to long delays and derailments. It’s one reason environmental groups balk at a plan by Omntrax to ship crude oil to the port of Churchill.

Omnitrax says, since taking over the railway in 1997, the company has invested $110 million into improvements, in addition to the $40 million invested by the provincial and federal governments.

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